Shining Night (Warrior Cats)
by articuno360
Summary: Hailpaw and Ravenpaw have been born to Lionblaze and Cinderheart. And with a new prophecy, disaster is about to break out.
1. Chapter 1 and Blurb

NOTE: I do not own Warrior Cats, and this is not an official Warrior Cats book. This is my fanfiction, which happens 5 months after The Last Hope. I hadn't read Dovewing's Wish or Bramblestar's Storm at this point, so cats like Sorreltail and Seedpaw aren't dead. This story revolves around 5 cats. Firstly, Jayfeather, Dovewing and Lionblaze. The other two are OCs, Hailpaw and Ravenpaw, who are Lionblaze and Cinderheart's kits. Chapter 1 is from Hailkit's POV. Anyway, story starts now.

'Wake up Hailkit!'

Hailkit slowly opened her eyes, squinting at the light of dawn. Ravenkit was excitedly looming over her. Hailkit looked to the side, glimpsing Cinderheart contently snoozing beside Daisy and Sorreltail. Poppyfrost was vigorously licking her kits: Beekit, a black and ginger tortoiseshell and her littermate Sunkit, a golden tabby. Hailkit heaved himself to her tired paws, and Ravenkit was happily waving his long tail, slightly brushing the littermate's mother.

'Morning,' their mother purred, uncurling from her nest. 'How are you, sunshines?'

Cinderheart dragged herself to her kits and wrapped her tail around them. Ravenkit squealed in excitement, and Hailkit nuzzled her mother's tail with her nose. Cinderheart widened her eyes as she stared at Ravenkit. Hailkit turned to him, shaking away her exhaustion. Ravenkit was covered in debris from a bush, and his fur was ruffled, messily.

'What happened to you?' Poppyfrost mewed from the corner of the nursery, looking up from her kits and her licking stopped. 'You look like you climbed to the top of the Sky Oak and fell back down!'

Ravenkit paused for a moment and proudly raised his head.

'I did.'

'Liar!' Hailkit hissed amusingly. 'Your paws could hardly hold grip on the walls, even when your claws were unsheathed!'

Ravenkit gasped, but didn't seem offended. 'Okay, I decided to go for a little walk!'

'Up a tree?' Cinderheart asked.

'No… around the clearing. I hid under the bushes so no one would see me!'

'Did anyone see you?' Beekit walked forward.

'Nope.' Ravenkit proudly meowed, closing his eyes. 'I was as sly as a badger.'

Cinderheart and Poppyfrost let out an mrrow of amusement. Ravenkit opened his eyes in surprise, and he lowered his head back down, embarrassed. Beekit and Sunkit failed to stifle a smirk, and Hailkit bit her lip to keep quiet. Daisy and Sorreltail woke from their nests. Daisy rose her head quickly, but Sorreltail slowly staggered to her feet. Their eyes instantly widened as they gazed as Ravenkit's messy pelt.

'What happened to you?' Daisy mewed, tilting her head sideways.

'Fell from the top of the Sky Oak…' Ravenkit added a normal tut, while rolling his eyes. Sorreltail seemed to see through Ravenkit's lies as if it weren't there, yet Daisy seemed impressed, her mouth formed an impressed smile.

'I think you two should play outside.' Cinderheart suggested, pointing to the exit with her gray tail. 'You're nearly apprentices,' Hailkit stood up straight. 'And it is very cramped in here as well.'

The two kits hurried outside, Ravenkit taking the lead. He halted, and his sister was about to hurry past him, when he stuck out his left forepaw, and Hailkit tripped over with a squeak. The black tom started to wobble as well, and fell on top the white she-cat. Hailkit huffed painfully.

'What was that for?' she angrily wheezed. Ravenkit rolled off and clumsily scrambled to his paws. Hailkit followed him, cuffed him around the ear, and pounced on him. 'That'll teach you!'

'Sorry.' Ravenkit murmured with embarrassment. He once again scrambled to his feet. 'I want to take you on a tour!'

He trotted off at once, towards the medicine den. Hailkit sighed and reluctantly followed her bossy brother.

I know the camp! She thought.

'And this is the warriors den,' Ravenkit rambled on.

'You mean, the medicine den?' Hailkit innocently pointed out, her eyes were slightly wider than usual.

'Y-yes…' Ravenkit hung his head low and was about to carry on when Jayfeather burst out the den.

'Bramblestar!' the blind cat called, his fur fluffed out anxiously. The leader padded out his den atop Highledge, yawning.

'What?'

'We have Whitecough!'

'It's only Whitecough though, isn't it?'

'But Greencough comes from that!' Jayfeather retorted irritated. 'Easily too! Millie has Whitecough! We need catmint.'

Hailkit didn't realise that Millie was in the medicine den. And with Whitecough too! She'd better not go in there! She was about to walk of back to the nursery when Ravenkit tapped Hailkit on the shoulder with his tail. Hailkit turned around and stared at her brother.

'Millie needs catmint!' Ravenkit exclaimed. Hailkit knew where this was going, and smiled. 'So let's find some!'

Hailkit's expression changed and she sighed. 'Bramblestar will never let us go, though…he will make us wait until we are apprentices, so we have our mentors to go with us!' She angrily lashed her tail in frustration. Jayfeather started to walk out the camp, ducking underneath the dangling brambles. 'Maybe we should ask Jayfeather to take us with him to find some!' Ravenkit nodded enthusiastically. 'Then Bramblestar will notice how brave we are, and that we will serve the clan in all ways possible! And we could be made deputy in future!'

'Yes!' Ravenkit happily agreed. 'Let's go now!'

Hailkit took the lead and ran quickly over to where Jayfeather was. Ravenkit followed.

'Jayfeather!' Hailkit called out to where Jayfeather crouched below the brambles.

Jayfeather turned around impatiently. 'Well? What do you want?'

'Can we go with you?'

'No chance.'

'But why?' Ravenkit desperately wailed. 'We want to serve our clan in all ways!'

Jayfeather waved his tail. 'Because, you are only kits. If you leave the camp, your apprenticeship will be delayed.'

Hailkit gasped.

'And!' he continued. 'You will get into trouble!'

'We won't!' Ravenkit protested.

'Every kit who adventured the territory got in trouble!' Jayfeather retorted angrily. 'Lionblaze, Birchfall, Sorreltail, Squirrelflight! Every one of them nearly died as a kit or early apprentice! Because they snuck out of camp! You know that Lionblaze was nearly savaged by a fox but narrowly escaped, Birchfall nearly fell off a cliff but was saved by Bramblestar, Sorreltail was fed death berries but was saved by Cinderpelt and Squirrelflight went on a journey she shouldn't have with cats who should have!'

'But we're careful.' Ravenkit pleaded, but to Hailkit's dismay, Jayfeather shook his head.

'No kit is careful.' He replied, and then trotted off.

'I can't believe he didn't let us help him!' Ravenkit mewed to Hailkit outside the nursery. 'All we wanted to do was help!' Ravenkit unhappily patted his feet against the dusty ground and clenched his teeth.

'He did have a point though,' Hailkit pointed out. 'We could have got into trouble.' But Ravenkit didn't seem to notice, as he didn't look up. Instead he kept his head low in disappointment.

'We will be such amazing apprentices.' Ravenkit wished hopefully. 'Then no one can stop us from helping out or going out.'

'We should go anyway!' Hailkit excitedly meowed. 'Then the clan will respect us for our bravery and loyalty!' Ravenkit immediately brightened at the prospect.

'Good idea!' he praised. 'Well, what are we waiting for?'

'Are we going now?'

'Well, why not?'

Hailkit and Ravenkit stealthily crept behind the nursery and ducked underneath the scratchy bush. They scampered forward until Hailkit mistook the elder's bush for a normal honeysuckle one, and she poked through and appeared behind Purdy, who was contently snoring. And purring happily as if he was dreaming of hunting a mouse. Hailkit slowly backed out, and Ravenkit was biting his lip to stop himself from erupting in a fit of laughter which would wake up Purdy. Instead, they silently padded past the den.

The line of bushes ended, and they found themselves backing into the long grass as three cats walked through the camp entrance. Spiderleg, Dustpelt and Blossomfall. They were about to walk past when Dustpelt turned to them.

'I can see you in there, you two kits!' he growled unwelcomely. 'And you are not going to leave camp!'

Hailkit and Ravenkit pushed past the grass and stepped out. Spiderleg suspiciously glared at them, and Dustpelt growled again.

'I can see that you wanted to sneak out of camp!' Spiderleg exclaimed. 'What were you going to do after you left?'

Ravenkit lowered his head. 'We were going to find catmint for Jayfeather, because Millie is infected with Whitecough.' He admitted.

'Well Jayfeather doesn't need two gullible kits to collect herbs for him!' Dustpelt retorted. 'Whitecough is mild. Hardly life threatening! And Jayfeather is a perfectly capable medicine cat! He can help Millie in all sorts of ways! Now go back to Cinderheart.'

Dustpelt padded towards the warriors den and Spiderleg followed after giving the kits a small hiss. Blossomfall padded forward.

'Don't worry about not being allowed to have adventures.' She empathised. 'There are effects of it. Me, Bumblestripe and Briarlight crept out every night to practise tree climbing, but unfortunately, we were tired for many sunrises to come.'

Hailkit watched Ravenkit stare at her as she walked towards the medicine den.

Maybe she got a thorn stuck in her pad, or cut it on a sharp stone! She thought. But if she did, she isn't showing it. No limping or nothing!

Her thoughts were cut off as Ravenkit suddenly and excitedly gasped, and spun around so quickly, he nearly fell off his balance, as he stumbled a small amount. He straightened up again, and faced his sister. His eyes glittered with excitement.

'That's it!' he exclaimed.

'What is?'

'Let's go in the night!


	2. Chapter 2

NOTE: I do not own Warriors. For extra info about the story check out chapter 1. This Chapter is in the POV of Ravenpaw.

'Hey!' Ravenkit prodded his sister, and she hesitantly opened her eyes slightly. This is so exciting!

'Hey.' Hailkit wearily responded, with a tired yawn following. She slowly and silently shuffled out of her nest and stood up, licking tufts of moss of her pelt. Ravenkit looked at the other cats, who were noisily snoring in their nest. Beekit's tail was waving happily.

She must be having a good dream. Ravenkit thought. We could be having a night like that, chasing mice through a warm forest. But! We must do whatever we can to serve our Clan! And that will give us a good – no, brilliant reputation! Maybe one day that will help me become a leader!

'Are you asleep again?' Hailkit quietly murmured with an amused edge to her tone. She cuffed Ravenkit over the ear. 'Come on! We need to get back before dawn! There is no time for dreaming in the middle of an important mission, which will give us a good reputation!'

She's been thinking the same thing. 'Sorry…' Ravenkit mewed. 'I was just wondering what being a leader will be like!'

'Well I don't need any competition!' Hailkit chuckled, flicking her ears importantly. 'I'm going to be leader!' she added, loudly. A little too loudly – Cinderheart's snoring became noisier. Alarmed, Ravenkit collapsed into his soft bedding and let out some exaggerated snoring. Hailkit stared at him for a heartbeat, and then hurriedly did the same, breathing less deep.

Cinderheart raised her head, and slowly opened her eyes. She jerked suddenly as some moss fell onto her eye, and vigorously shook it off.

'Stupid moss-ball!' she cursed, and flicked it away with her tail, and it landed on Ravenkit's heaving side. He struggled to keep still, as the wad was tickling him, making him violently want to itch it, and flick it off his pelt. But his mother was still awake, her breathing yet to become snoring. Eventually, her eye-lids flickered, and she had settled down into a deep dream.

However, Ravenkit had noticed that Hailkit too was contently snoring, snug in her mossy nest. Ravenkit slowly heaved himself out of his soft nest, and shook the white tabby's leg. She widened her eyes in surprise, but constrained a shocked yelp. She narrowed her eyes again as she realised it was only her brother who had shook her leg, and she elevated herself from her nest.

'Let's go.' Ravenkit whispered, turning to drag himself out the nursery. Hailkit gradually stepped soundlessly out of the nursery. She quickened her pace as she stepped on Sunkit's blazing tail. She held Ravenkit by the scruff and hauled him into the nearest tall grass.

Ravenkit her a shuffle in the nursery, and strained his senses to be able to spot Sunkit vigilantly stepping out of the nursery.

'Is anyone there?' she boldly spoke up, glancing from side to side, his ears pricked for any sounds to be heard. 'Who stepped on my tail?'

Hailkit licked her fur to fluff it out she closed her eyes tightly and was about to leap out when Ravenkit held his tail in front of her. 'What are you doing?' he quietly hissed, leaning closer.

'I know how Sunkit thinks!' she eagerly replied. 'He is the type to believe in monsters!'

Before Ravenkit had time to object, the white she-cat had already leapt from the grass, landing on the fire-orange tom's tail, with her belly flat against the earth. Sunkit yelped in surprise, and tried to recoil, even though her tail was trapped under Hailkit's constricting grasp. Her fur was bristling, making her pelt look fluffier.

'What are you?' Sunkit squealed in terror, tugging hard on his tail. It flew out from under Hailkit belly. Ravenkit could see how much it took her to stay still. 'Don't tell me…you're the moss monster!'

Sunkit started to wail unhappily, and Ravenkit started to laugh uncontrollably. Sunkit's uproar fortunately disguised it. Hailkit took an intimidating step forward, and Sunkit yapped again. He was about to dash into the nursery again, when Poppyfrost's voice came from inside.

'Sunkit?' she worriedly fretted. She didn't come out of the nursery. 'What's the racket all about?'

'Nothing!'

'You are lying!'

'No, no, it's nothing!'

'Then why were you squealing like a hungry fox cub?'

'Ah, well…'

'Spit it out!' Poppyfrost hissed anxiously.

'I'll tell you in the morning.' Sunkit responded, and glanced back to Hailkit in horror.

'Fine…' Poppyfrost sighed. Ravenkit heard a scuffle in the nursery, followed by a light snore, followed by more streaming snores.

Sunkit started to slide back to the nursery, keeping Hailkit in his vision. 'Stay far away from the nursery! Leave us alone!' He flailed back to the nursery. Hailkit slowly moved back into the long grass. Ravenkit felt amusement sparking like cinders coming from her ruffled pelt.

'Did my cloud white pelt look green?' she sniggered, licking her fur flat. 'I knew Sunkit would think I was a monster! But I was so scared when Poppyfrost called!' Ravenkit nodded enthusiastically with a relieved feeling. 'Next time, you do it!'

'Next time?'

'Why not?'

'Hah!' Ravenkit agreed with a fit of laughter following.

Ravenkit and Hailkit scampered through the clearing, keeping their bellied close to the ground. The moon was a strip of snow across the stars and trees were bare without leaves. Cinders of fireflies buzzed around the warrior's den, shining bright under the starlit sky. The camp exit was guarded with brambles and gorse. Ravenkit could hear an earthquake of snoring coming from the warriors den. When the two approached the entrance, Ravenkit noticed an unusual blend of many different scents lingering pungently around. He noticed RiverClan, as he had been taught that they smell rotten as crow-food, because they are covered in a fishy odour. He didn't recognise any of the other scents. However, an eruption of spluttering could be heard from the medicine den

Millie's Whitecough. Ravenkit thought, interrupted by another spasm of coughing breaking into his thoughts. The dangling bramble thickets swayed. Jayfeather's awake. Ravenkit heard Jayfeather grunt as Millie once again coughed, followed by a despairing sigh. Ravenkit caught a glimpse of Jayfeather's mossy pelt through the thicket in front of the medicine den entrance.

'Why do I have to have Whitecough?' Millie groaned croakily. Ravenkit thought the question was pointless. Jayfeather was going to go on a rant about how only StarClan knows and that we can't choose what to be infected with, and that moaning won't help. But it didn't come. Ravenkit was about to step quietly forward, aware that Jayfeather was awake, until Jayfeather let out a disgruntled sigh, and pushed passed the bramble thickets. The gray cat's blind eyes were unreadable, but clearly agitated. Hailkit scuffled beneath the nearest bush without hesitation, and her tail waved out, beckoning her brother in. Ravenkit nosed through as well.

'Where are you going?' Ravenkit barely made out Millie's weak words. 'Who will look after me in here?'

'I'm going to look for catmint.' Ravenkit's blood turned to ice at Jayfeather's reply. 'If you have any troubles, wake up Leafpool or Brightheart.'

Without waiting for a reply, Jayfeather was already padding steadily to the camp's thorn barrier. Ravenkit silently slid further back, deeper into the undergrowth. Hailkit rolled in the soil to make her bright white pelt look dirtier and camouflage in the ground. Ravenkit couldn't see the medicine cat through the leaves, but he noticed his pace slowing down, as he sniffed the air, fox-lengths away from the bush which they were occupied within. He then came to a very gradual halt.

'I know you are there,' he calmly mewed. His voice was clear and effortlessly heard through the breeze rustling the leaves around them. 'Just because I can't see doesn't mean I can't smell.' He inhaled deeply.

'Come out!' he continued with a prompting tone to his voice. 'Does Cinderheart know you're here? Probably not. You two would be extra careful to avoid being caught sneaking out of the nursery. So, why aren't you in the nursery? Having a night adventure?'

Neither kits moved.

'I'll tell Bramblestar.'

Hailkit let out a startled squeak and rushed past Ravenkit into the open. Ravenkit boldly followed his sister with his chin up, squeezing though the scratching branches. Jayfeather tilted his head and let his blind gaze fall on them, waiting for an honest answer.

'What are you doing here?' Jayfeather impatiently repeated.

'We were…adventuring the camp!' Hailkit quickly replied. Ravenkit could tell that Hailkit was struggling to hold back her feeling of unease.

Jayfeather shook his head.

'You both know as well as any cat that my den is directly next to the nursery.' He started to explain. 'I could scent you out from as soon as I left Millie in the den. Surely you would leave the nursery and go to the other side of the camp to out bramble wall? There would be so much more to see. The elder's den, Highledge, our training hollow, not a bramble barrier!'

Ravenkit tensed. He's smarter than I thought! 'We wanted to find out ways for us to get out using this wall when we're apprentices!' He regretted the words as soon as Hailkit started bristling beside him. That was so stupid of me! We can do that in daylight!

'You wanted to explore the territory.' Jayfeather spoke up as if Ravenkit hadn't. Hailkit gasped.

'No!' she whispered indignantly.

'You were.'

'It is not true in the slightest!' Ravenkit backed her sister up, stepping forward.

'Stop lying!' Jayfeather suddenly snapped, leaning forward, clenching his teeth. His fur was uncontrollably bristling Ravenkit leapt back with a startled yelp. 'Blossomfall told me about how you tried to sneak out of the camp to find Millie catmint, but ran into her, Spiderleg and Dustpelt, who rightfully sent you back to the nursery where Cinderheart was likely to be waiting with worry!'

Hailkit gasped again.

'She felt sorry for us!' Hailkit protested. 'You are just guessing.'

'She was sorry for you because every kit seems to want an adventure, but the good parents make sure they are safe!' Jayfeather hissed. 'She was right to tell me. If you went off and adventure, I know you would get into trouble.'

Ravenkit snorted. 'As if you'd know. You wouldn't notice an adventure if it was screaming under your nose! You're not brave enough to try one out.'

Jayfeather stepped forward. 'Where do you think that gut feeling of needing an adventure came from?'

'Lionblaze.' Hailkit retorted.

'What adventures did he have when he was a kit?'

'Fox hunting!' Hailkit gleefully replied. Hailkit had been told that story, even though Ravenkit hadn't.

'Who with?'

Hailkit glanced at Ravenkit. Ravenkit could imagine Lionblaze tackling hungry fox cubs as a kit with another black tabby, known as Hollyleaf. But he couldn't imagine Jayfeather tagging along with them. He glanced back up at Jayfeather, and concentrated on his thoughts. Out of nowhere, his vision went dark, and he was running.

Is this what it is like to be blind? He thought. Then he felt the sinister presence of another creature, and a rank smell filled his nostrils like mouse bile. Jaws snapped behind his tail. Ravenkit quickened his pace, leaving his guts to feel as if they were going to burst. The smell became weaker as he sped up, until he could feel ground beneath his paws anymore, and he plummeted. A voice rang in his head.

I've fallen into the hollow!

His vision reappeared, and he was once again staring up at Jayfeather.

'Jayfeather what does falling into the hollow feel like?' He asked. Hailkit stared at him, astonished and confused.

Ravenkit sense an amused feeling coming from Jayfeather for a moment, but then it darkened. 'It doesn't feel good.' He responded grimly. 'But don't try it for yourselves, whatever you do. Or, you'll need lots of herbs, just like Millie does.'

'Oh yeah!' Hailkit straightened up and exclaimed. 'Well we'll be off.'

She started to trot off to the camp barrier, and beckoned Ravenkit forward with her tail when Jayfeather gripped him firmly by the scruff.

'Not yet!' he snarled and let go of Ravenkit. 'I'll talk to Bramblestar about you two being apprentices. But for now, go back to the nursery.'

Hailkit's eyes gleamed and she ran off to the nursery.

'You too.' Jayfeather nudged Ravenkit. Ravenkit padded off excitedly after Hailkit. Jayfeather headed into the forest with satisfaction.

'How do you know that Jayfeather fell into the hollow?' Hailkit called over her shoulder. 'No one told you the story!'

'Oh yeah, I studied his mind.' Ravenkit replied. 'But I pushed the thoughts away before I hit the ground.' He added when Hailkit worriedly widened her eyes.

'Good. After all Jayfeather said not to try for ourselves.'


	3. Chapter 3

NOTE: Read the beginning of Chapter 1 for information on the story.

 _Ouch!_

Jayfeather hissed as the bramble barrier scratched his nose. Jayfeather stopped. He noticed a non ThunderClan scent.

 _RiverClan_ and _WindClan!_

One scent could be easily distinguished. Jayfeather shuddered as he recognised it.

 _Breezepelt!_

Breezepelt had been exiled from WindClan after his attempt to side with the Dark Forest during a devastating assault which killed many cats including Ferncloud, Mousefur, Hollyleaf and most importantly, Firestar. Foxleap was still struggling to survive his wounds. Mistystar and Blackstar both lost one life, but Onestar lost _three._ However, even though the Dark Forest lost, some cats were still occupying the forest. Thistleclaw, Darkstripe, Redwillow were now being led by Mapleshade.

But Breezepelt was back, likely with Hollowflight, who Mistystar exiled in return for his life. They were both rogues, and were likely planning revenge.

Jayfeather pushed the thought to the back of his mind. He'd speak to Bramblestar about it at dawn. He nosed around a large oak tree. His secret catnip plant hadn't grown. He retraced his steps to the entrance.

 _Have Hailkit and Ravenkit returned to the nursery?_

 _Yes._

 _Good._

He padded towards the medicine den, and settled down in his nest.

He woke up with vision. She was in a peaceful clearing with a breeze rustling the grass blades. Yellowfang stood in front of him.

'Jayfeather.' She started.

'What have you got to tell me?' Jayfeather asked.

'A prophecy. To _share_ with Bramblestar.' Yellowfang replied, much to Jayfeather's surprise. 'Clouds will cover half the night sky, and three will once again have the powers of the stars in their paws.'

Jayfeather's ears pricked. He stared at where Yellowfang was, but instead he saw Ravenkit and Hailkit playing with a butterfly around the clearing.

 _Clouds will cover half the night sky._

Yellowfang's voice rang in his ears.

Are Ravenkit and Hailkit apart of the prophecy?

'Bramblestar?' Jayfeather called from above the Highledge.

'Jayfeather, is that you?' Bramblestar's reply came clearly from his den. 'Come in.'

Jayfeather walked into the dark den. The dangling ivy brushed against his flank. The sand stuck to his pads like tree sap. Bramblestar was lying contently on his side. 'So what is it?' Bramblestar asked.

'Ravenkit, Hailkit, Beekit and Sunkit are old enough to be apprentices.' Jayfeather answered.

'Yes.' Bramblestar acknowledged his point. 'The ceremony will be today.'

'Also.' Jayfeather continued. 'Yellowfang gave me a prophecy. Clouds will cover half the night sky, and three will have the power of the stars in their paws once again.' Bramblestar tilted his head. 'Obviously the three are me, Lionblaze and Dovewing. And I think the clouds that cover half the night sky are Hailkit and Ravenkit.'

'That makes sense.' Bramblestar replied. 'Why did you tell me about it? Did Yellowfang tell you to tell me about the prophecy?'

'Yes.'

'Why did she tell you to?'

'She didn't tell me,' Jayfeather sighed. 'As _usual._ ' He dryly added.

'Hm.' Bramblestar murmured. 'Thanks for telling me. I'll start the apprentice ceremonies now.'

'See you.' Jayfeather replied. He nosed past the ivies, and his blind gaze brightened as he entered the sunlight. He carefully climbed down from the ledge, tripping over the final rock. Jayfeather heard Bramblestar pad atop Highledge.

'Let all cats who are old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highledge!' Bramblestar's call echoed around the clearing. Cloudtail and Brightheart poked their head out of the warriors den. Millie poked her nose around the dangling bramble tendrils. Blossomfall and Bumblestripe helped Briarlight drag herself towards Jayfeather. Dustpelt and Spiderleg sat in the middle of the clearing. Brackenfur and Thornclaw sat behind Jayfeather. Dovewing and Lionblaze placed themselves next to Jayfeather.

'What's this?' Lionblaze asked.

'I think we have four new apprentices!' Lionblaze brightened at Jayfeather's response.

'Congratulations!' Dovewing told Lionblaze.

Sunkit, Beekit, Ravenkit and Sunkit were being ushered out of the nursery by their mothers, who were also licking their fur. Ravenkit settled in front of Lionblaze.

'Are you proud of me, Dad?' Ravenkit exclaimed, lashing his tail.

'I couldn't be prouder!' Lionblaze happily replied, stroking his son's ears.

'Cats of ThunderClan!' Bramblestar called. 'Four of our kits are six moons old! First of all, Sunkit. Come forward.'

Sunkit gasped and scrambled forward.

'Sunkit, you are six moons old. It is time for you to become apprenticed. From this day on, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Sunpaw. Your mentor will be Thornclaw. I hope Thornclaw passes down all he knows to you.'

Thornclaw gasped.

'Thornclaw, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Mousefur, and you have proven yourself to be strong and loyal. I hope you pass down all these strengths to Sunpaw.'

'Sunpaw! Sunpaw!'

'Now, Beekit. You are six moons old, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Beepaw. Your mentor will be Cloudtail. I hope he passes down all he knows to you.'

Cloudtail rushed out of the warriors den.

'Cloudtail, you are ready for another apprentice. You received excellent training from Firestar, and you have proven yourself to be honourable and brave. It is time for Beepaw to learn your skills.'

'Beepaw! Beepaw!'

'Hello Ravenkit! You are also six moons old, so you will now be apprenticed. You will be known as Ravenpaw until you earn your warrior title, and your mentor will be Dovewing. She will pass on all his skills to you.' Dovewing lifted his head excitedly. 'Dovewing, you are ready for an apprentice. You received amazing training from Lionblaze, and you have proven to have amazing willpower and perseverance. I know you'll mentor Ravenpaw well.'

'Ravenpaw! Ravenpaw!'

'Finally, we have Hailkit. You will be an apprentice too, as you are also six moons old. From here up until you are a warrior you will be known as Hailpaw. Your mentor will be Whitewing, who will teach you impeccably well.' Whitewing stepped boldly and happily forward. 'Whitewing, you are ready for another apprentice. You taught Icecloud well and Brackenfur taught you well, so I'm sure you will do an amazing job with your kindness and intelligence.'

'Hailpaw! Hailpaw!'

The apprentices and mentors padded away together, thinking about their training sessions. Jayfeather stared after Hailpaw and Ravenpaw.

 _Are they really apart of the prophecy?_ Jayfeather thought. He broke out of his thoughts when he saw Yellowfang shadowing the two littermates. She nodded.

 _Yes, they are._


	4. Chapter 4

Dovewing followed Whitewing with Ravenpaw and Hailpaw trailing excitedly behind them.

'What will we do first?' Ravenpaw asked Dovewing. 'Hunting, battle training or…cleaning out the elders den?' Ravenpaw spoke the last words with a grimace.

'Whitewing, should we start off with something easy like gathering moss?' Dovewing asked. Whitewing hesitantly nodded and Hailpaw groaned.

'Why can't we do hunting instead?' Hailpaw muttered.

'Or practise fighting?' Ravenpaw added.

'Because I want you to get used to apprentice life first.' Whitewing stated. 'And, the quicker we do the boring things like gather moss, the quicker we do fun things.'

'We only teach you how to gather moss once!' Dovewing laughed, and Ravenpaw tried to laugh too, but it turned was extremely weak.

 _At least he's trying to hide his disappointment._

Whitewing led the cats just outside of camp. There was a large rock with dry moss on it.

'Be careful when you pick it, as elders get very annoyed over dirt and thorns. And only use dry moss.' Whitewing instructed. Hailpaw nodded, Ravenpaw _hmmed._

'How would you pick the moss?' Dovewing asked her apprentice.

'I'd bite it off.' Ravenpaw briefly explained.

'Ahah!' Whitewing interrupted explosively. 'Don't bite it off, claw it off! If you use your jaw, you could get a thorn in your chin, and it will make the moss wetter. Your mouth is less precise than your claws, so it lessens the amount of dirt in the moss.'

'Like this!' Dovewing demonstrated by extending a sharp claw, and shredding the moss off the rock slowly. 'You try it.'

Hailpaw padded up to the rock and unsheathed her claws. She scraped some moss off slowly. Eventually, some dropped off the rock and fell limply onto the ground. It was covered in debris.

'It could be cleaner…'Whitewing pointed out.

'Oh, I see,' Hailpaw replied. 'Should I nip the dirt out?'

'No, gather more moss for now.' Whitewing answered.

'You too Ravenpaw!' Dovewing prompted, flicking her tail towards the rock. 'Then we can bring it back to the elders!'

The two apprentices had gathered lots of moss.

'Brilliant! Nice and clean.' Whitewing congratulated. 'Let me show you an efficient way to carry it!'

She scooped some moss in her jaws, and then tucked some more under her chin.

'Like this.'

Ravenpaw backed away. 'I'll walk into camp and be laughed at, because I'll look too silly!' he protested.

Whitewing opened her mouth and quietly breathed:

'Two leaders before Bramblestar, there was a leader called Bluestar, who was Mistystar's mother. She was taught to carry moss like this!'

Hailpaw struggled to keep the moss under her chin, and she vaguely squealed, 'I'll be ThunderClan's best leader! When Squirrelflight becomes Squirrelstar, she'll make me her deputy!'

Ravenpaw gasped.

'No, I'll be leader!'

He immediately scooped up as much moss as possible, and he clumsily padded into the camp.

Dovewing stifled an _mrrow_ of amusement and followed her enthusiastic apprentice into camp, followed by Hailpaw and Whitewing.

'I'm proud of you.' Whitewing praised. 'You are young, and you are a natural mentor.' She nuzzled her daughter affectionately. 'If you ever need help, you can ask me. Remember, I'm your mother! And I mentored Icecloud.'

'I know, I all will come to you for help.' Dovewing responded, but she thought that Whitewing had noticed that she was different. She felt _powerful_ again.

'Dovewing!' Bramblestar mewed to Dovewing. 'How is your mentoring going?'

'Brilliant!' Dovewing responded, eager to show her pride. 'Ravenpaw's a fast learner, and I love mentoring him.'

'Good!' Bramblestar sighed with a relieved tone. 'I chose you because of your senses will keep Ravenpaw out of trouble. He is very adventurous, and I wouldn't be surprised if he wandered away from you.' He added in a whisper.

'My senses, they're getting stronger again!' Dovewing whispered back. 'Has the prophecy started again?'

'Jayfeather wants to see you about that.' Bramblestar explained.

'Is that a yes?'

'Just see Jayfeather.'

'Jayfeather?'

Dovewing peered through the thickets guarding the brambles, and only saw Foxleap covered in cobwebs and Millie curled up in her nest. Briarlight dragged herself past a wall in the cave.

'Did you call for Jayfeather?' she queried. 'He's out, trying to find catmint and comfrey.' She glanced nervously towards the corner of the cave. 'Your sister's back is has a minor fracture, after Hawkfrost stamped on it in the Great Battle.'

'Ivypool!' Dovewing rushed over to her sister. 'Are you okay?'

Ivypool's response was a grunt. 'Not really, my back hurts too much.'

Dovewing shuddered as she remember the Dark Forest warriors storming into the camp, crunching savagely into Ferncloud, Mousefur and Hollyleaf's neck. And then she turned to see Hawkfrost viciously stomping on top of Ivypool's spine. She had stayed there until Jayfeather dragged her into the medicine den. When she heard that Firestar was killed, she thought it was a lie, but then Brambleclaw was renamed Bramblestar.

'Can I do anything for you?' Dovewing anxiously asked, bending over to lick her sister's pelt.

'Fetch me a piece of fresh-kill please, and that will be plenty.' Ivypool replied.

'Okay!' Dovewing galloped out, and called over her shoulder. 'Don't forgot to try a have as much rest as possible!'

She dashed over to the fresh-kill pile, and met Whitewing devouring a small shrew.

'You're in a hurry!' she commented. 'What's the rush?'

'I'm fetching prey for Ivypool.' Dovewing mournfully mewed. 'The pain in her back is hindering her movement. At the moment I feel like I need to become a medicine cat so I can make her better, but no one can do better than Jayfeather.'

'That's true.' Whitewing responded. 'We'd be harming her by replacing Jayfeather.' She lowered her head. 'I desperately want her to get better as well…but Jayfeather's having trouble finding the right herbs. I really miss seeing her every day…'

Dovewing looked down at the pitiful pile of prey.

'We could do with more prey.' She sighed, and picked up a puny robin. 'We have many warriors, queens, elders and apprentices to feed, and this is all we have.'

'Quickly give that to Ivypool then, before anyone else wants it!' Whitewing forced herself to chuckle. 'I want to visit her too, and then I can maybe lead a patrol.'

 _How long until Ivypool can hunt, patrol, share-tongues with me and everyone else again! What if she didn't_ minorly _fracture her spine, but fully snapped it!_ Dovewing thought, and added with horror. _What if she has to drag herself around like Briarlight?_

'Let's go then!' Whitewing broke off her thoughts. She quickly padded away, and Dovewing followed her with the robin swaying limply in her jaws. Whitewing stepped over the brambles laying on the ground and nosed into the medicine den and called out to her daughter with a very welcoming tone. 'Hello, my darling!'

Dovewing crouched into the cave. 'Here's your prey.'

 _Is that disappointment in her eyes?_ 'I'm sorry it's only a robin, but it's the biggest thing on the pile.' She placed the robin in front of Ivypool's paws.

'Thank you.' Ivypool didn't show or let her tone sound disappointed. 'Not many feathers to tear off for me, thankfully! I'm more than grateful.'

'Good…' Dovewing sighed.

'What happened in the meeting earlier?' Foxleap raised his head from deeper in the cave.

'Four new apprentices.' Briarlight mewed. Foxleap sighed. Because of his injuries, Cherrypaw wasn't Foxleap's mentor anymore. 'Ravenpaw, Beepaw, Hailpaw and Sunpaw. Dovewing is Ravenpaw's mentor, and Whitewing is Hailpaw's mentor.'

Millie shuddered and woke from her sleep, and started to violently wheeze.

'Millie?' Briarlight urgently meowed, dragging herself over to the warrior. She placed a forepaw on her forehead.

'How is she?' Leafpool nosed her way in the cave.

'She's getting more feverish!' Briarlight wailed. 'I think she's caught Greencough!'

Leafpool placed her paw on Millie.

'Greencough?' Millie writhed. 'I can't have! Briarlight, Blossomfall and Bumblestripe needs me! I won't…die will I?'

'You will be fine.' Leafpool assured the wary warrior. 'You're in the hands of Jayfeather.'

'What about me and Foxleap?' Ivypool asked. 'If Millie is in here with Greencough, what will happen to us?'

'We need to move Millie.' Leafpool firmly replied. 'We need to make sure no one else catches the illness.' Millie was about to raise her head and protest. 'If you stay here Millie, Briarlight will catch Greencough! And in her condition, she won't have a very good chance of survival!'

Millie gasped, and lowered her head. Worry glittered brightly in her eyes. 'Do you have Greencough now, Briarlight?'

Briarlight shook her head.

'I don't have any symptoms.' She responded. 'I'll be more than fine.'

'You'd better be.' Millie grimly replied.

'Where will Millie be moved?' Dovewing asked her mother, as they left the medicine den. Dovewing was worried about her sister, as she was currently sharing the same den with Millie.

'A few moons before you were born, there was a violent case of Greencough in the camp. Over half our cats were infected, so they were all moved into the abandoned Twoleg den. Neither Leafpool nor Jaypaw could go in there, so Firestar, who also had Greencough, had to look after the cats. He fed all the other cats the exact amount of catmint, but he didn't have enough himself. He lost a life in that attack.' Whitewing told her daughter. 'But it isn't likely Millie will go there. Icecloud fell into a hole after the Twoleg nest's ground fell in, so it's too dangerous to go there, I imagine. She might stay in an area behind the training hollow, where there are lots of bushes and moss. A small pond is there as well which Millie can drink from. Some other cats may go there. Whitecough and Greencough spread easily, and Millie's been infected for a few sunrises.'

'But Ivypool!' Dovewing wailed. 'She can't catch Greencough! She might…die!'

'Ivypool is strong.' Whitewing purred, which reassured Dovewing, even though there was a strong edge of worry in her purr. She then quickly changed the subject. 'What do you think of mentoring Ravenpaw, by the way?'

'It's fun!' Dovewing happily replied, however the thought of Ivypool dying hadn't left her mind. _What if I never see her again?_ 'Among our warriors, I am the youngest, with Ivypool. So I enjoy being, well, _superior_ to another cat.'

Whitewing purred.

'That's a relief. I wondered if you'd be offended by Ravenpaw's lack of enthusiasm to gather moss.' Whitewing explained with a satisfied sigh.'

They continued chatting about mentoring, when Bumblestripe headed towards her with a pheasant lying dead on his back. His head was held high and proud. Other cats stared at him with impressed expressions, chattering to each other with an unbelieving tone. Whitewing gasped, and hungrily lashed her tail beside her.

 _He can be so full of himself._ Dovewing thought, thinking faintly of Tigerheart.

'Hey Dovewing!' Bumblestripe mewed importantly. 'Look at _my_ catch!' he flung the pheasant off his back, and took a bite out of it.

 _He's unusually arrogant! Ugh!_ Dovewing thought with disgust. _And now he's eating his own prey in front of me!_

'Well done, Bumblestripe!' Whitewing congratulated. 'You found that type of prey in leaf-bare! It's completely unthinkable!'

Dovewing remembered stories of an apprentice called Shrewpaw who died during a leaf-bare before the Great Journey when Twolegs were destroying the forest and scaring prey away. He found a pheasant, and crept up on it. It was alarmed when Shrewpaw stepped on a thin twig and snapped it. It ran towards the Thunderpath, and Shrewpaw ran after it. Unfortunately, a monster was roaring down the Thunderpath, and it hit Shrewpaw when he was less than a mouse length away from the large bird, and he was immediately killed, and the pheasant got away.

However, Dovewing was surprised to find herself scared of the thought of the same events occurring to Bumblestripe. For a normal cat-

 _Normal? Isn't Bumblestripe normal to me?_

Dovewing wouldn't have felt horrified if a _normal_ cat had been hit by a monster. So why did she feel daunted by the thought of Bumblestripe being killed by a monster?

 _I was haunted for moons after Rippletail died._ Dovewing thought, and then added with a guilty pang: _But that was because I lead him to his death._

'Are you okay, Dovewing?' Bumblestripe queried, with a hint of hope. 'You look like you're in a daydream!'

'No!' Dovewing snapped. 'I'm not in a daydream!'

Bumblestripe laughed, but Dovewing could sense intense hurt coming from him. 'Oh well, it looked like it! Would you like to share this pheasant with me?'

Dovewing let out a grunt in her head.

'No thanks, I'm not hungry.' She replied, struggling to hold back a sharp retort. 'Maybe another time.'

Whitewing twitched her tail in surprise.

'If I catch another pheasant,' Bumblestripe grunted.

Dovewing stalked away and Bumblestripe sighed. Dovewing thought that he must have been hoping for a reply. Whitewing walked after her, and followed her into the warriors den.

'What's wrong?' She asked worriedly. 'Bumblestripe was only being nice! And, he really likes you.' Dovewing was about to snap. 'And, the clan needs more kits. Sorreltail, Cinderheart and Poppyfrost have left the nursery, and Daisy needs company.'

Dovewing let out her snap. 'The thing is, whenever one cat likes another, everyone automatically presumes that they will be mates!' she impatiently scraped her paws against the ground. 'I don't love Bumblestripe, okay?'

Whitewing recoiled at her intensity. 'I know that, but please, be careful with who you choose, Dovewing. You know who Mistystar's parents were.'

Dovewing fell back, stung.

 _Bluestar and Oakheart._

Did her mother know about Tigerheart? Didn't Whitewing think that her own daughter knew what she was doing? She didn't trust her!

 _She thinks we'll have kits!_

'What makes you say that?' Dovewing snapped. 'Anyone would think you didn't trust me.'

Whitewing stepped forward.

'I've seen you staring and mooning over Tigerheart at Gatherings!' Whitewing responded wearily. Dovewing gasped in shock. 'Anyone could tell. I wouldn't be surprised if Bramblestar knew.'

Dovewing screeched in her mind.

 _No way!_

Dovewing fought Mapleshade in the Dark Forest fight. She turned evil after a cat from an enemy clan stopped being her mate, and let her three kits drown.

 _I am_ not _ending up like her!_ Dovewing vowed meaningfully. _She killed Spottedleaf!_

'We will not have kits,' Dovewing replied, forcing her anger to bubble down. 'I can be trusted!'

'Just be careful, I don't want kin in ShadowClan.' Whitewing replied. She immediately settled down and let her breathing turn into a deep and contented snore.

 _Like I'm going to have kits with Tigerheart…_

Dovewing let her legs weakly collapse under her. The moss warmed under her, and it carried her into a calming sleep.

She opened her eyes high above a blazing field. She panicked for a heartbeat, but then she realised she was high above the field. Four cats stood confidently within the inferno. The first one was a brown and black tom with icy blue eyes, towering high above the others like a leader. One was tortoiseshell and white, with amber eyes which could burn through a sheet of dust like wind. The other two were a brown as the darkest, dry soil. One had green eyes and the other had unnaturally white eyes which Dovewing had never seen before. Suddenly, dozens of cats appeared in front of them, but all of them were shredded by the four powerful cats with a claw each.

 _These cats are evil! No cat would shred innocent cats like that!_

Before she could wake by herself, a paw prodded her side and Jayfeather and Lionblaze were looming over her.

'Dovewing!' Lionblaze calmly woke her from her dream, and beckoned her outside. Jayfeather went out. 'Jayfeather has a message for us.'

'A prophecy?' Dovewing echoed her thoughts hopefully. 'I can't stand this deafness without my normal senses.'

'I don't know, but it's likely. Jayfeather's had a message from StarClan.' Lionblaze explained. 'Let's follow him outside and hear what he has to say for ourselves.'

Lionblaze trotted outside. Dovewing yawned and wearily padded after the two brothers. She nosed through the briar which dangled from above where the den entrance was. Lionblaze was impatiently waiting, while Jayfeather seemed very patient.

 _That's unusual. Jayfeather's not that patient!_

'So,' Jayfeather started off. 'Yellowfang visited me in a dream.' However, Lionblaze impatiently cut him short and blurted out:

'Did she give you a prophecy?'

'Yes.' Jayfeather's words made Dovewing swallow her heart. _My senses will be back._ 'Yellowfang told me that: "Clouds will cover half the night sky, and three will once again have the powers of the stars in their paws."'

'Yes!' Dovewing whispered an exclamation. 'My senses will come back!'

'What are the clouds and the night sky about?' Lionblaze asked, unsatisfied.

'Ravenpaw and Hailpaw.'

'No way. My kits…'

A gasp sounded behind them.

'What?' Dovewing turned to see Ravenpaw and Hailpaw crouched under a bush. 'You caught us _again?_ '

Lionblaze rushed over to them. 'Don't worry about that. Listen to Jayfeather.'

Ravenpaw followed his father with unnerve, and Hailpaw followed boldly. Jayfeather briefly explained to the littermates what a prophecy is, and the prophecy which Jayfeather was given, and that the clouds covering the sky meant Hailpaw and Ravenpaw.

'Really?' Hailpaw squealed. ' _Us?'_

' _You.'_ Jayfeather repeated slightly impatiently. 'You two are in a prophecy. As surprising and shocking as it may be, it is definitely true.'

Dovewing jumped as Yellowfang appeared beside her.

'But, four can go greater than this.' She explained.

'Who are you?' Ravenpaw gasped. 'You appeared out of nowhere!'

'I am Yellowfang.' The old cat replied. 'I was the medicine cat before Jayfeather, before Leafpool and before Cinderpelt.'

'You were the one who killed the Dark Forest's leader!' Ravenpaw exclaimed. Yellowfang tensed, and so did Dovewing. But despite this, Ravenpaw continued his rant. 'I couldn't believe it when I heard about that in the nursery! How did you do it? Do you think I could?'

Yellowfang changed the subject. Dovewing guessed that she didn't like talking about killing her evil son, Brokenstar. 'We have no time for that. Just remember what I said.'

She faded away, and Ravenpaw sighed in dismay.

'Wait, what did Yellowfang mean?' Hailpaw asked anxiously. 'Does one of us have to stop being a part of the prophecy?'


	5. Chapter 5

Lionblaze shivered.

 _I am not getting injured just because there are too many cats for the prophecy!_

A chilly silence flooded throughout the three quiet cats. They all gave each other icy glares. The only noise which interrupted the soundless night was the buzzing of grasshoppers. The moon was glowing like fireflies, brightening the pelts of even a dark cat like Ravenpaw. A low ground broke away from Hailpaw's jaw, but before she could protest, Jayfeather spoke.

'We won't fight over a prophecy!' Jayfeather sighed in an annoyed growl, but the words were useless. Lionblaze wasn't going to fight his own young kits! 'I'm sure StarClan will send us a sign.'

Dovewing was breathing heavily. Lionblaze guessed that she was afraid of her usual senses leaving her, especially so close after regaining them. Hailpaw seemed calmer now, and Ravenpaw seemed to let his fur lie flat.

 _I wonder what their powers are._

Jayfeather had already broke away from the crowd, and kicked up dust from the ground as he padded towards the medicine den. Dovewing nervously slid his paws towards the snoring from the warriors den, and Hailpaw nudged the daydreaming Ravenpaw in the direction of their den. They both wearily scrambled into their den.

 _I can't wait to hunt with them!_ Lionblaze thought hopefully. _I can't wait to watch them grow up and train to become the best apprentices they can!_

Lionblaze traced Dovewing's clumsy steps into the den his nest was. He struggled to prevent his relentless shaking from brushing against the sleeping bodies of all his denmates. He shuffled down into his nest and let out a quaking yawn, and let his heavy breathing flow him into a deep dream.

'Lionblaze!'

Cinderheart's gentle call woke him from his sleep. He opened his eyes and his blinking shook dust from his eyes. Cinderheart was joyfully peering down at her mate.

'Would you like to go hunting with me, Birchfall and Icecloud?' she asked.

Lionblaze hauled himself up from his nest, and constantly blinked tiredly. Cinderheart nuzzled her mate, and steadied Lionblaze's wobbly legs.

'How are you?' Lionblaze replied to his mate.

'Brilliant.' Cinderheart happily replied. 'So? Do you feel up to a bit of hunting?'

'Yes.' Lionblaze confidently responded. He needed to get used to hunting with his powers again. 'Where will we hunt?'

Cinderheart paused for a moment, with her mouth wide open. At last she spoke. 'By the ShadowClan border.' She decided at last. She padded away. 'Let's go then.'

Lionblaze galloped after Cinderheart with his tail tingling with excitement. _Time to talk to her about the prophecy._ As Lionblaze nosed past the ivy freely dangling from the roof of the den, he noticed Icecloud and Birchfall patiently waiting for him by the bramble barrier. Cinderheart was lying contently beside them. Lionblaze hurried towards them.

'Shall we go, then?' Birchfall muttered with unexpected impatience. Lionblaze noticed him scratching his claws against the ground.

 _The Dark Forest still has an impact on him._ Lionblaze thought. He could tell the others were thinking the same. Cinderheart blinked in surprise, and then she purposefully darkened her expression. Icecloud took a step back, and then Birchfall sighed.

'I'm sorry.' He murmured unhappily. 'Because I was manipulated into training in the Dark Forest, no one will trust me. Whitewing didn't sleep beside me last night, and Thornclaw wouldn't take me on patrol last sunrise.

'Aren't you mates with her anymore?' Icecloud blurted out quickly, and then took another step back in shame.

'I don't know.' Birchfall admitted with his head held low. 'I really hope not. Dovewing needs company with Ivypool recovering with a minor fracture in her back.'

Lionblaze glanced at Cinderheart. She was staring at him too, but he deliberately avoided to think of what he felt.

'You want more kits?' Lionblaze asked, trying to prevent worry in his mew. 'Dovewing does need more company especially after she lost – actually, never mind.'

Cinderheart curiously raised her head.

Birchfall didn't probe Lionblaze on to finish his statement, much to his relief. 'Yes, she feels lonely without her usual senses.'

'Anyway, shall we get a move on?' Cinderheart suddenly prompted the hunting patrol on. 'At this rate, with all of this gossip, we'll start at sunset!'

The patrol eventually reached the clearing they once fought for in a savage battle, which killed Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy before Blackstar appointed Rowanstar, Rowanclaw at the time. Also, Firestar lost one of his lives when Russetfur relentlessly gnawed into his throat.

Cinderheart led the patrol to a stop.

'You two hunt together.' She ordered Icecloud and Birchfall. 'I'll hunt with Lionblaze.'

Lionblaze followed his mate through the rustling trees before waiting for any response from Birchfall or Icecloud. The wind buffeted Lionblaze's fur, and he felt uncomfortable. Several oaks had passed before they arrived into another tidy clearing. Birdsong flowed elegantly throughout the air hinting that birds were nearby.

'I'll go this way.' Lionblaze was about to go in the direction his tail-tip pointed, but Cinderheart stopped him. 'What's the matter?'

'Is there another prophecy?' She blurted out, without turning her head in case other cats were near. Lionblaze gasped.

'How do you know?'

'You were about to say that Dovewing lost her powers.' Cinderheart explained. 'Near the entrance of the camp, before we left. But then, you abruptly stopped, and it sounded as if you realised that it wasn't true.'

Lionblaze bowed his head.

'Yes, there is another prophecy.' He reluctantly admitted. He hated thinking that Cinderheart might think that she thought Lionblaze couldn't handle injuries. 'Jayfeather and Dovewing have powers as well. But, Ravenpaw and Hailpaw do too!'

' _What?_ ' Cinderheart exclaimed. 'What is it?'

'We don't know yet.' Lionblaze replied. 'Yellowfang appeared, but didn't explain what the powers were. Instead, she gave another part to the prophecy, and said that four can go beyond five.'

Cinderheart looked faintly confused for a quick moment, but then it faded. 'Is someone leaving the prophecy?'

'We don't know who will.'

'Then find out!' Cinderheart exclaimed. 'StarClan must know what they're talking about! Surely Jayfeather could ask Yellowfang or someone at the next full moon!'

Before Lionblaze could respond, a low growl maliciously sounded beside them in the bushes. A red tail pointed out, and Lionblaze realised the rank smell of a hungry fox. He bristled his fur, and leaned back, ready to pounce. Cinderheart growled and unsheathed her claws.

Suddenly, the creature exploded from the bushes, and clawed Lionblaze's pelt. The claws failed to sink in, thanks to Lionblaze's powers. He lunged for the fox's neck, but the fox kicked out his hind leg into Lionblaze's jaw. Stunned, he slowly paced backwards. Cinderheart pounced on top of the fox, and sunk her claws in to the fox's flesh, as it made a bloodcurdling howl. Lionblaze noticed precious, scarlet blood seeping from the deep gash Cinderheart had engraved. The fox flung its head around and grasped Cinderheart's paw in its mouth. Cinderheart yowled in pain and shock, which snapped Lionblaze out of his paralysis. He knocked into the fox. It heaved out a large breath, and Cinderheart was set free. Lionblaze had pushed the fox over, and he pounced on its belly, snapping his jaws sharply at it. The fox howled miserably, and a pleading look appeared in her eyes.

'Lionblaze!' Cinderheart called. 'She smells of milk! She's a mother! We need to kill her so the cubs will starve.'

On cue, Lionblaze viciously sunk his claws deep in her belly. His claws were covered in fresh blood. The fox gave one last howl, before her head fell and her eyes shut.

Lionblaze immediately dashed over to his mate, who was heavily breathing, and lying on her side.

'Cinderheart!' he started. 'Are you okay?'

Cinderheart drew out her front paw, which was punctured with marks and wounds, letting out heavy amounts of blood.

'She savaged my paw.' Cinderheart stammered, heaving herself up and attempting to walk. 'It's numb but undeniably painful!'

'Well, I will help you get back to camp.' Lionblaze reassured her, letting Cinderheart lean against him. 'Jayfeather will fix you up easily.'

Suddenly, the fox raised her head and blinked. Before Lionblaze could snarl at it or stop it, she sprinted off through the trees.

Lionblaze didn't dare let go of Cinderheart. Instead he continued walking along. The birds had stopped tweeting and singing, much to Lionblaze's disappointment.

 _Those cowards!_

As they neared the camp entrance, they came across Dovewing, whose fur was bristling in worry. Dovewing lifted herself from the ground, oblivious to the dirt clinging to her belly.

'Cinderheart, what happened to your paw?' Dovewing nervously exclaimed. Lionblaze knew that Dovewing already knew what the answer will be.

'Fox.' Cinderheart panted, still limping as she made her way into the camp. Lionblaze beckoned Dovewing to the side with his tail.

'Dovewing,' Lionblaze started. 'Cinderheart knows about the prophecy as well, so if it's a struggle to pretend you don't know what happened to her, then don't bother. She knows that you know.'

Anger flared in Dovewing's eyes.

'You told her about the prophecy?' Dovewing growled, crouching down and letting her fur bristle. Lionblaze was taken aback by her intensity. 'Why? It is a secret for us only!'

Lionblaze growled.

'And who was the one who gave away our secret first?' he snarled, baring his teeth. Dovewing widened her eyes and padded back. 'Have you never thought about that?'

Dovewing seemed hurt. 'But Ivypool thought she wasn't as good as me, and I was getting more attention. The only way I could stop her from being so sad and upset was by telling her about the prophecy.'

'Cinderheart was also upset!' Lionblaze retorted angrily. 'She thought that she couldn't handle having a mate who would constantly hurt himself! She thought that I'd be killed until I told her about the prophecy! So _don't_ be angry with _me._ '

The fury in Dovewing's eyes withered away.

'Oh,' Dovewing seemed confused. 'When did anything really spark with you two?'

'That's none of your business.'

'Fine.'

She padded away through the tunnel in the bramble wall. Lionblaze suddenly felt guilty, but he realised that it wasn't for Dovewing, but for Cinderheart. Lionblaze couldn't be physically hurt, but he was stunned. And in those paralysed heartbeats, was when Cinderheart's leg was gnawed at like a piece of fresh-kill, and he couldn't do anything about it.

 _Was it my fault that Cinderheart has damaged her paw? What if she tore her claw? It would be all my fault. Would she hate me?_

Lionblaze shook his pelt.

 _No. I'm just being a mouse brain._


	6. Chapter 6

The night was calm and quiet. Hailpaw light-footedly scuffled around the forest, looking for catmint for Jayfeather. Leaf-bare delivered the cold snow, with spread around her paws, sending chilly shivers throughout her bones. She gritted her teeth as one last icy chill clawed her, before she dashed under a tree, whose leaves hadn't died. They offered shelter and protection from the snow. A few balls of snow dropped from some of the weaker leaves. Hailpaw padded up to the tree's trunk, unsheathed her claws and stabbed them into the wood, struggling to haul herself up. A voice sounded behind her, and she gasped, letting herself fall into the snow. She squinted as the cold.

'You need help?'

Hailpaw heard something fall beside her. Flakes of snow rose from where air was forced out from under the cat. Hailpaw still couldn't see who it was. Whitewing suddenly erupted from the snow.

'Ah!' Hailpaw squealed while hurling herself back in a mixture of shock and surprise. 'Whitewing!'

'Hello Hailpaw!' Whitewing greeted. 'You teaching yourself how to climb a tree?'

Hailpaw originally was going to climb the tree to scout out any catmint bushes, but this was a good excuse. If she had found out that she was trying to find catmint for Millie, then the unthinkable would have happened!

'Uh, yeah…' Hailpaw anxiously replied to her mentor. 'But I can't get a grip!' She added a frustrated wail.

'Well, let me show you.'

Whitewing unsheathed her front claws, but not her back ones. 'I saw how you had all your claws out, but if you dig your back claws in, you won't have as much grip, as your hind paws wouldn't be pushing you up. If you push up with your back claws, it'll cause you to wrench them.' She explained.

Hailpaw watched as Whitewing skilfully pushed herself high in the tree.

'Whitewing?' Hailpaw called up to her mentor. 'Are you afraid of Greencough corrupting the Clan?'

'Slightly.' She admitted, turning her head towards Hailpaw. 'But I don't know what catmint looks like. So I can't do anything about it.'

Hailpaw was disappointed that Whitewing didn't know what catmint was like. Hailpaw wanted everything best for her clan. If she saved Millie and all the others, then maybe Bramblestar would make her the next deputy!

 _Clan leader Hailstar!_

'I want to be Clan leader one day.' Hailpaw spoke out loud. 'Do you think I can be?'

'Hopefully!' Whitewing responded wistfully. 'I wanted to be Whitestar one day, but now I think that too much responsibility!' Whitewing suddenly stopped. 'Can I tell you something?'

Hailpaw pricked her ears. 'Of course?'

'I'm expecting kits.'

Hailpaw gasped.

'You are?'

'Yes.' Whitewing purred. Hailpaw noticed that she was becoming plump. 'Birchfall is nervous that I have stopped us being mates. I'll tell him when we get back.'

Hailpaw arrived at camp with Whitewing. The dawn patrol including Berrynose, Icecloud, Brackenfur and Cloudtail were just departing from the hollow. Squirrelflight was beneath Highledge, beside Bramblestar. Whitewing immediately padded into the warrior's den. Hailpaw waited for a few moments when she heard a relieved sigh of relief. Birchfall raced out of the den and towards Bramblestar, who listened to Birchfall quickly speak to him. Whitewing left the den, and Sandstorm and Graystripe walked calmly towards Bramblestar, waiting for Birchfall to leave.

Kicking snow behind her, she galloped off to Ravenpaw to tell him that she's getting a new mentor. Ravenpaw was still asleep in the apprentices' cave, letting out disgruntled snorts every now and then.

'Hey, Ravenpaw!' Hailpaw whispered into her brother's ear while prodding him in the side. He woke with a sudden jerk and shivers. 'Guess what.'

Ravenpaw stretched and uncurled himself from his nest, letting out a quaking yawn. 'What?'

'Whitewing is expecting more kits.'

Ravenpaw widened his eyes in surprise, then narrowed them again while he touched his muzzle to Hailpaw's ear. 'Will they be a part of the prophecy?'

'Why should they?' Hailpaw asked, puzzled. 'Whitewing doesn't know about the prophecy, and I doubt they will be born and be placed into a prophecy which has already been started!'

'But Lionblaze, Jayfeather and Dovewing were born moons after their prophecy!'

Hailpaw shuddered. If these new kits would become a part of a prophecy that meant that more cats were to be removed from it. Yellowfang's words still rung clearly in her ears.

 _Yet four can go beyond this._

Who will is the cat who has to be removed from this prophecy? Why can't we five be stronger than a group of one less of us? Why can't the cat be one of the four? Will the cat be a threat to the clans? And how would they react to this?

Hailpaw bit her lip. What if _she_ was the cat who never was meant to be one of the four? What had she done, and why did she deserve this?

'I don't like to think about it, sorry.' Hailpaw whispered. 'I don't like that one of the cats of the prophecy really doesn't belong in it…'

Ravenpaw sighed and narrowed his eyes sadly. 'What's the point of having four when we can have five? I don't like it either.'

Hailpaw opened her mouth to agree when Bramblestar's voice echoed around the clearing and louder in the cave. Scuffling sounded outside the cave of cats awakening from their nests and Lilypaw, Seedpaw, Amberpaw, Dewpaw and Snowpaw started to stir and rise before the sunshine spilling through the darkness.

Ravenpaw escaped into the bright camp with Hailpaw barely following him.

'Cats who are old enough to catch their own prey, gather below Highledge!' Bramblestar boomed. Ravenpaw and Hailpaw sat beside each other at the front accompanied by Snowpaw and Dewpaw racing to the front themselves. Dewpaw was beside Ravenpaw. Lionblaze and Cinderheart sat contently beside each other behind the siblings and before long everyone was gathered below Highledge. 'Whitewing and Birchfall are having kits again!' Whitewing purred from the back and Birchfall proudly sat happily beside Icecloud. 'From tonight Whitewing will be sleeping in the nursery.'

Everyone cheered for the two, but it was interrupted by Bramblestar's next words. 'But we have some very bad news. Foxleap has unfortunately died of his wounds.'

Hailpaw heard a slight whimper from the medicine den, and through the brambles Ivypool lay grieving on the ground. Dustpelt and Icecloud were the most struck by this news, and Spiderleg and Birchfall also dipped their heads at their loss.

'I know Foxleap's wounds were bad, but I didn't expect him to die of them!' Hailpaw gasped. Ravenpaw sighed typically, and the rest of the clan held their heads low.

'Tonight we will sit vigil.' Bramblestar grimly continued. 'But before that, Hailpaw needs a new mentor. So, Hailpaw, step forward.'

Hailpaw nearly tripped over her paws, remembering that she needed a new mentor. She managed to hold herself up as Bramblestar spoke the following words:

'Hailpaw, though you are already six moons old, you need to be given a mentor, so I have decided that your mentor will be Bumblestripe.'


	7. Chapter 7

_Bumblestripe? Oh no…_

Dovewing slowly blinked, hoping Bramblestar would change his mind. But all he did was continue his speech.

'Bumblestripe, Hailpaw will be your first apprentice. You proved your worth three sunrises ago when you caught a large pheasant during hunting. I am sure you will pass on your loyalty and courage on to Hailpaw.'

Dovewing wanted to yowl loudly as Bumblestripe and Hailpaw touched noses. After the cats went their own way, instead of taking Ravenpaw hunting, she strode up to Bramblestar. 'Bramblestar, can I lead a hunting patrol?'

'Okay, but I want you to take Ravenpaw, Hailpaw and Bumblestripe, it would be a good opportunity to teach them how to hunt.'

Dovewing bit back a sigh. 'Alright. I'll go and gather them, and we can set off.'

Bramblestar swayed his tail. 'Hunt by the ShadowClan border. During leaf-bare most prey will be caught there.'

 _Perfect._ Dovewing sarcastically thought.

Dovewing grumpily padded away, towards Ravenpaw, who was congratulating Hailpaw on getting a good mentor. Ravenpaw turned to greet her as she approached.

'Hi Dovewing! Are we going to go hunting _today?'_

Dovewing sighed. 'Yes actually, and Hailpaw, Bramblestar wants you and Bumblestripe to come with us.'

'You know, today is like a good dream.' Hailpaw wistfully spoke. 'Bumblestripe for mentor, learning how to hunt with my brother!'

'Yeah right,' Dovewing muttered below her breath. Ravenpaw pricked his ears as if he heard. 'Uh, oh, Hailpaw, fetch your mentor.'

'Right!' Hailpaw bounded off towards Bumblestripe who was chatting modestly with Graystripe, his father. After a few moments, they were both bounding back over.

'Dovewing!' Bumblestripe started. 'Where shall we hunt then?'

'ShadowClan border.' Dovewing bluntly stated. 'Now let's go.'

'Oh, hm. Okay.' Bumblestripe mumbled, but Dovewing had already started to pad over towards the camp entrance.

'Dovewing?' Ravenpaw whispered in Dovewing's ear after they arrived at the ShadowClan border. Already, Dovewing and Bumblestripe had taught the siblings how to stalk something in a tree. 'I can hear tweeting of a blackbird, can I stalk it?'

'Go on then.' Dovewing urged slightly annoyed. But Ravenpaw had already raced off into the shrubbery before he could recognise Dovewing's upset.

Dovewing suddenly pricked her ears and dropped into the hunters crouch. Through the undergrowth she spotted a plump mouse scuttling in the grass. Instinctively she placed a paw slowly in front of another. Suddenly, the bush beside her rustled as her tail brushed against it, alarming the mouse which was gone in less than a heartbeat. Dovewing sighed and sprinted into the bush the mouse had disappeared into. She growled as brambles snagged her fur. She tried to pull it off, but it just ripped her skin more and more. She gave a disgruntled whimper and rested her muzzle against the soil.

Suddenly, the brambles were gently eased from her pelt. Raising her head and whipping round, Tigerheart stood.

'What are you doing here?!' Dovewing exclaimed. 'Didn't I tell you that I wasn't interested?!' Tigerheart opened his mouth to answer, but Dovewing continued. 'Now go before I tell _my_ apprentice to go back and get a patrol!'

'You have an apprentice?' Tigerheart seemed impressed. 'Congratulations!'

'Go, now!' Dovewing lowered her voice to a fierce growl. 'Ravenp-'

'Alright Dovewing, meet me here tonight to hear what I have to say to you.' Tigerheart disappeared into the bushes before Dovewing could answer.

Dovewing lowered the hairs on her back which stood on ends. Trotting out of the bushes behind her, Ravenpaw appeared, unaware of a feather sticking out of his pelt.

'Did you call me?' Ravenpaw queried. 'I've stalked two pigeons. Bumblestripe is such a good teacher. Although I didn't catch either pigeons, I learned the bird and mouse stalking strategies.'

'Uh, well done!' Dovewing congratulated. She was slightly confused. She had no idea what to do tonight. Go to Tigerheart to hear what he has to say? Or just ignore him. 'Um, follow me and I'll teach you how to stalk a squirrel.'

'Oh, Bumblestripe taught me that as well.'

'Fine, I'll teach you how to stay more hidden.' Dovewing replied. _It won't do any harm if I just see him once, will it?_ 'Let's go.'

She headed for the clearing in which ThunderClan and ShadowClan had held a lethal fight, which killed Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy before Rowanclaw. But instead of entering the clearing, she stayed at the brink of it, where the undergrowth was thickest. She halted and raisedr tail, signalling to Ravenpaw to stop. He nearly tripped, but regained his balance before he fell.

'So, Ravenpaw, this is how you do it.'

Dovewing, Ravenpaw, Hailpaw and Bumblestripe returned to camp at sunset, Ravenpaw holding a little shrew, glaring at Hailpaw's warm squirrel. Dovewing caught only a blackbird, distracted by Tigerheart's proposal. Much to her disgust, Bumblestripe had a magpie and moorhen swinging limply from his jaws. Resting her blackbird atop the fresh kill pile, she suddenly sniffed harshly. Turning away from the pile, she hoarsely coughed and sniffed once more. Across the clearing, Hazeltail spluttered below Highledge.

 _Have I got Whitecough?_

She knew what was best for her. Immediately she turned to the medicine den, and took her steps forward.

'Leafpool?' Dovewing called, nosing her way around the brambles. 'Jayfeather?'

Millie lay in her nest, dreaming and fidgeting. Jayfeather was chewing a selection of herbs in the corner of the den, before turning and stepping forward.

'I suppose you've heard then…' Jayfeather stammered. 'Yes, Ivypool has got Whitecough-'

Dovewing interrupted. 'I think I've got Whitecough too!' _Ivypool's got Whitecough too? Oh StarClan, help us…_

'Sit down.' Jayfeather sighed, pushing some moss over from where Briarlight usually slept.

'But that's, Briarlight's?' Dovewing stated.

'Millie wouldn't have her in the same den as someone with Whitecough you know.'

'Oh. Okay…' Dovewing sat down cautiously and curled up. Her throat tickled, and she let out a light cough. Jayfeather pawed her side, measuring the levels of her breathing.

'Lie on your back and open your mouth.' Jayfeather ordered, withdrawing his paw.

Dovewing immediately rolled over, as if she was still a kit, shielding herself from Ivykit with her paws. Opening her mouth wide, she chewed the catmint that Jayfeather dropped in.

'I'll be back. I just need to fetch Leafpool. She's collecting as much tansy as she can in the forest before the frost of Leaf-bare comes and kills it all off.' Jayfeather was out of the den as soon as he finished speaking.

Dovewing was still lying where she was millions of moments later. _Leafpool must be deep in the forest._

Several heartbeats passed before she realised that she had made a big mistake. _If I have Whitecough, I'm going to be confined to camp! What will Tigerheart think of me if I don't come to our meeting place tonight?_

Dovewing rose to her paws and dashed out the medicine den. She knew what she was going to do. Without hesitating to speak to Ravenpaw who was eagerly bringing her a plump pigeon from the fresh-kill pile, she leapt out of the camp and jumped up a tree as she heard Leafpool and Jayfeather's familiar mew.

'If WindClan thinks that they can cross our borders to steal our tansy and our catmint, then they're wrong.' Leafpool mewed angrily.

'Exactly,' Jayfeather agreed with his mother, sighing with exasperation. 'We should go straight to Bramblestar.'

 _WindClan needs tansy and catmint? What for?_

Dovewing went over all the scenarios in her head until she realised what was going on.

 _WindClan has Greencough!_

After Jayfeather and Leafpool's agitated huffing had reached the camp, she cautiously slid down the tree. She carefully trotted around trees and bushes towards the ShadowClan border.

A twig snapped. Looking forward over the border, a ShadowClan patrol including Oakfur, Toadfoot and Ratscar were chatting to each other while padding carelessly towards the border. Although they were quite a way away, they would surely scent her so close to the border.

Instinctively, she dropped to a hunter's crouch and looked for the nearest squirrel. She found one, burying a nut between two roots of a tree. Quickly and stealthily, she crawled forward. The squirrel was in normal sight a few moments later. About to scuffle up a tree. But Dovewing gave it no time. She hurled herself at the defenceless creature, immediately killing it with a heavy blow to its head.

She turned to see where the ShadowClan patrol was now.

 _Hm…quite close it seems._

She crouched and took small silent steps, with the squirrel hanging from her jaws. She waited and waited until the patrol was close enough. She leaped out of their sight, making an exaggerated noise. The patrol behind her fell silent. Following her scent, they took the slightest step over the border to investigate where the scent lead to.

'What are you doing over the border?' Dovewing suddenly snapped at the surprised ShadowClan patrol, still with the squirrel hanging from her mouth.

'What are _you_ doing so close to the border?' Ratscar quickly retorted.

'Hunting, on _my_ side of the border thank you very much.' Dovewing hissed. 'Now why are you patrolling on _our_ side of the border?'

'Hmph.' Oakfur sighed. 'Well, you stay on your side of the border and we'll keep on ours.' He stepped back. 'We have our wits about ThunderClan, so watch out.'

Dovewing stared at them until they left her regular vision, until bringing the squirrel to her and Tigerheart's meeting place. Hiding it under a scrap of leaves, she settled down, and let her dreams sweep her up.

In her dreams, there was a dark sky with bright stars in the sky. Yet it was being brightened by a blaze of fire which separated the light stars from the sky. Each colour glowed a fierce and vibrant shade, but it was all gone in less than a heartbeat.

Suddenly, her vision disappeared, and a curious voice rang loudly in her head.

'Fear the evil of fiery red eyes and their blazing claws which can turn their own clanmates to helpless ash.'

Dovewing opened her eyes to see Tigerheart eating her squirrel.

'You're awake!' Tigerheart mewed. 'Oh, and while you were asleep I might have took the liberty to eat that squirrel.'

Dovewing jumped. 'I uh, I have to go!' She immediately sprinted back in the direction of ThunderClan camp, leaving Tigerheart stammering behind her:

'Oh, well, see me tomorrow to see I really have to say, then.'


End file.
